📻 Internet Radio & Streams
Level: Beginner - Time: ~10 minutes - Flavor: Standard or Legacy (Lite: audio-only)
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FastMediaSorter includes a dedicated Streams screen for internet audio and video sources. Add any internet radio URL, import an .m3u playlist, or browse a curated station catalog - no separate radio app needed. Works great on Android car head units, audio players, phones, and tablets.
Replaces: TuneIn, Shoutcast app, Online Radio, RadioDroid, VLC network streams, IPTV players.
What You Will Need
- Android device with a network connection (mobile data or Wi-Fi)
- FastMediaSorter Standard or Legacy (Lite supports http/https audio only)
- A stream URL, .m3u playlist file or URL, or the built-in curated catalog
Step 1 - Open the Streams Screen
Three ways to get there:
- Main screen dropdown menu -> Streams
- Settings -> Media -> Streams -> tap the Streams shortcut button
- Welcome onboarding -> Streams row (first launch only)
Don’t see Streams in the menu? Go to Settings -> Media -> Streams and make sure “Enable Streams” is turned ON. It defaults to ON on most devices.
Step 2 - Add a Station or Stream
Option A - Add a single URL manually:
- Tap Add (+) in the Streams screen toolbar
- Paste the stream URL (http/https radio, .m3u8 HLS, rtsp://..)
- Give it a name and tap Save
Option B - Import an .m3u playlist:
- Tap Import -> From URL
- Paste the .m3u playlist URL and confirm
- All stations from the playlist are added to your list
Option C - Browse the curated catalog:
- Tap Import catalog (or download it from the Extensions screen)
- Browse or search by name, topic, or language
- Tap stations to add them to your list
Step 3 - Play a Station
- Audio stream (radio): tap the row - playback starts inline. A sticky mini-control appears at the bottom showing the station name and ICY now-playing track info. The list stays fully interactive.
- Video or RTSP stream: tap the row - opens in the fullscreen player. Press Back to return to the list; scroll position and last-selected station are preserved.
Step 4 - Keep Radio Playing in the Background
To keep audio playing when you switch apps or lock the screen:
- Go to Settings -> Media -> Player
- Find the Background audio playback group
- Enable Background audio playback
Leaving the Streams screen while a station is playing: the app offers the same Stop / Keep-playing choice as the main player. If background playback is OFF, the stream stops when you minimize the screen.
Step 5 - Filter and Organize
- Pin favorites to the top: long-press a station row -> Pin. Pinned stations appear above the rest regardless of sort order.
- Filter by category or language: tap the Filter button (a dot appears when a filter is active). Language picker shows flags. Use AND/OR toggle to match all or any selected filter.
- Sort: tap the sort button to order by name, topic, language, or recently played.
- Search: type in the search bar to filter by name across all stations.
Step 6 - What to Do If a Station Is Dead
If a stream is unavailable or redirected, a dialog appears with three options:
- Retry - tries the stream again
- Remove - deletes it from your list
- Cancel - dismisses and keeps the entry
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| Stream does not play | Check that the URL is correct and the station is online. Try Retry in the unavailability dialog |
| Audio stops when switching apps | Enable Background audio playback in Settings -> Media -> Player |
| HLS/DASH stream shows “unsupported” | This flavor (Lite) supports http/https audio only. Use Standard or Legacy for HLS/DASH/RTSP |
| Catalog import hangs | The catalog host may be slow or offline. The import times out automatically and shows an error - check your connection and retry |
| No flags shown in language filter | Flags are shown based on the language tag in the station catalog. Manually added stations with no language tag are always visible under any language filter |